Results 5,681-5,700 of 32,583 for speaker:Richard Bruton

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Climate Action and Environment: Broadband Service Provision (10 Apr 2019)

Richard Bruton: The premises referred to by the Deputy is in the AMBER area on the National Broadband Plan (NBP) High Speed Broadband Map, which is available on my Department's website at www.broadband.gov.ie. The AMBER areas represent the target areas for the proposed State led Intervention under the NBP. This intervention is the subject of an ongoing procurement process. The procurement process to...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Climate Action and Environment: Bituminous Fuel Ban (10 Apr 2019)

Richard Bruton: The ban on the marketing, sale and distribution of bituminous coal, or ‘the smoky coal ban’ as it is commonly known, was first introduced in Dublin in 1990, and subsequently extended to our major cities. Following a public consultation process, it was further extended in 2012, and now applies in 26 urban areas nationwide. The ban has proved very effective in reducing particulate...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Climate Action and Environment: Landfill Sites (10 Apr 2019)

Richard Bruton: In December 2018, Kildare County Council, the contracting authority, invited tenders for expressions of interest in the remediation of Kerdiffstown landfill. The closing date for submissions was extended until 14 February 2019 on foot of requests for more time made on the eTenders procurement website. This process of evaluation is still underway and is being managed by Kildare County Council...

Saincheisteanna Tráthúla - Topical Issue Debate: National Broadband Plan (9 Apr 2019)

Richard Bruton: The Deputy has to understand this is being done under state aid rules and that Eir or any other commercial operator was entitled to state it would deliver a service to a certain number of homes. It specified a figure of 300,000 homes, of which, 11,000 remain to be connected by Eir where it has committed to do so. That will be monitored, but we cannot force the pace. There are other cases...

Saincheisteanna Tráthúla - Topical Issue Debate: National Broadband Plan (9 Apr 2019)

Richard Bruton: -----but from my point of view, it is in the programme for Government that we want to deliver. I do not doubt that it is a complex project because we have detailed debates on it, with many Deputies on the Deputy's side of the House rightly raising many concerns about different aspects of it. It is those very concerns I have been at pains to investigate in order that before I make a...

Saincheisteanna Tráthúla - Topical Issue Debate: National Broadband Plan (9 Apr 2019)

Richard Bruton: I thank Deputy Michael Moynihan for facilitating the timing of this debate. He was seeking to have it earlier but I could not be present then in person. I will put the situation in perspective. I am relatively recently in the post. The position on to the national broadband plan is that, as Deputy Moynihan said, it has been at the inception stage for some time. Part of that is to be...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Climate Action and Environment: Waste Management (9 Apr 2019)

Richard Bruton: The waste management market in Ireland is serviced by private companies, where prices charged are a contract matter between those companies and their customers. My role as Minister for Communications, Climate Action and Environment is to ensure that the waste management market is operating in compliance with relevant environmental legislation. With regard to the charges applied for kerbside...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Climate Action and Environment: Data Protection (9 Apr 2019)

Richard Bruton: My Department has no role in the monitoring and enforcement of data protection legislation. Responsibility for these functions lies with the Data Protection Commission, which is independent in the performance of its functions. A Template for a Bye-law on Waste Presentationhas been prepared by the three Regional Waste Management Offices and circulated to local authorities with a view to...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Climate Action and Environment: Renewable Energy Generation Targets (9 Apr 2019)

Richard Bruton: I propose to take Questions Nos. 489 and 491 together. The EU Renewable Energy Directive 2009/28/EC set Ireland a legally binding target of meeting 16% of our energy demand from renewable sources by 2020. Good progress has been made to date, with the Sustainable Energy Authority of Ireland (SEAI) advising that 10.6% of Ireland's overall energy requirements in 2017 were met from renewable...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Climate Action and Environment: Greenhouse Gas Emissions (9 Apr 2019)

Richard Bruton: Ireland has agreed to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 20% below 2005 levels. On being appointed as Minister for Communications, Climate Action and Environment, I said that while Ireland has jointly the most demanding targets (the EU average is 10%), Ireland is far off course. I am now developing an All-of-Government Plan which will set out the actions to be taken to make Ireland a leader...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Climate Action and Environment: Inland Fisheries (9 Apr 2019)

Richard Bruton: I refer to the reply to Question No. 229 of 27 March 2019.The necessity for a further review of the Forum’s operation is being contemplated within my Department in consultation with Inland Fisheries Ireland to consider the impact of continued poor attendance by stakeholders. Response to PQ 229 of 27 March 2019 The National Inland Fisheries Forum is established by Inland Fisheries...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Climate Action and Environment: Better Energy Homes Scheme Eligibility (9 Apr 2019)

Richard Bruton: The Better Energy Warmer Homes Scheme is funded by my Department and administered by the Sustainable Energy Authority of Ireland (SEAI). The Scheme delivers a range of energy efficiency measures free of charge to low income households that are vulnerable to energy poverty. Energy poverty is a function of a person's income, the price of energy and the energy efficiency of the home. To date,...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Climate Action and Environment: Departmental Contracts (9 Apr 2019)

Richard Bruton: The Emergency Call Answering Service (ECAS) is responsible for answering all 112 and 999 calls and texts to the Emergency Services in the State. The statutory basis for the Emergency Call Answering Service (ECAS) is set out in the Communications Regulation (Amendment) Act 2007. The Act provides for the establishment and operation of the ECAS and enables the Minister to enter into a...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Climate Action and Environment: Radio Broadcasting (9 Apr 2019)

Richard Bruton: RTÉ is an independent national public service broadcaster whose remit, obligations, principal objects and associated powers are set out in the Broadcasting Act 2009.Section 98 provides that RTÉ shall be independent in the pursuance of these objects, subject to the requirements of the Act. As such, I, as Minister, have no function in RTÉ's management of its day to day affairs....

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Climate Action and Environment: Natural Gas Grid (9 Apr 2019)

Richard Bruton: I am aware that a recent research paper by Cornell University has expressed concerns about methane emissions during unconventional gas exploration and extraction. The outputs from this research note that other studies estimate lower loss rates for both methods of extraction and that more research is required. The Environmental Protection Agency’s Unconventional gas exploration and...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Climate Action and Environment: National Broadband Plan (9 Apr 2019)

Richard Bruton: The National Broadband Plan (NBP) aims to ensure high speed broadband access to all premises in Ireland, regardless of location. This is being achieved through a combination of commercial investment and a State led intervention. The NBP has been a catalyst in encouraging investment by the telecoms sector. In 2012, less than 700,000, or 30% of all 2.4 million Irish premises had access to...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Climate Action and Environment: Illegal Dumping (9 Apr 2019)

Richard Bruton: Illegal dumping is first and foremost a matter of individual responsibility and compliance with the law. While enforcement action in this area is a matter for local authorities, my Department encourages a multi-facetted approach to tackling the problem, incorporating enforcement, public awareness and education and, as such, provides funding to support the activities of the Waste Enforcement...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Climate Action and Environment: Oireachtas Joint Committee Reports (9 Apr 2019)

Richard Bruton: I welcomed the report of the Joint Oireachtas Committee on Climate Action when it was published at the end of March. The Committee has worked constructively over the last number of months to achieve a broad consensus on a number of difficult issues. The final report contains a detailed set of recommendations addressing polices and measures across a range of Government Departments and...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Climate Action and Environment: General Data Protection Regulation Implementation (9 Apr 2019)

Richard Bruton: The Data Protection Commissioner is the supervisory authority for GDPR and also has powers related to ePrivacy legislation. It is a matter for each individual Government Department and public sector entity to ensure their operations, including those related to websites, comply with requirements under this legislation.My Department uses cookies on its website for statistical and administrative...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Climate Action and Environment: National Broadband Plan Implementation (9 Apr 2019)

Richard Bruton: The premises referred to by the Deputy is in the AMBER area on the National Broadband Plan (NBP) High Speed Broadband Map, which is available on my Department's website at www.broadband.gov.ie. The AMBER areas represent the target areas for the proposed State led Intervention under the NBP. This intervention is the subject of an ongoing procurement process.The procurement process to appoint a...